Waiting to hear back from agents, editors, publishers and readers about your work, whether it’s a yes or no, enthusiasm or polite dismissal, can be the most difficult part of a writer’s work. The trick is letting go of urgency, letting go of impatience and most of all , letting of any expectations for specific outcomes for our work. In order not to be endlessly distracted and hurt by the constant round of submissions and waiting we have to find a way to release those expectations and just keep on writing, because that’s what we do. Because we love it and find enough joy in the work itself to keep on going.

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5 thoughts on “THE WAITING PLACE”

“Oh, the places you will go” is my favourite of the good Drs books. I have given it a presents to two close friends this year, who accepted them with glee and delight. And I also scored, some discounted stationery based on the book in June in Cairns. Nothing like beautiful stationery.

But I agree with you Edwina, the Waiting Place is such a terrible place to be. If only Gary Larson would come by with an accordian or two, or those little bats with the balls attached, to make the wait more “pleasant.”

I think the thing to do is submit to so many things that you forget what you are waiting to hear back from and then when you do hear back it’s a surprise because you have forgotten that you sent anything in at all…

I think that’s a great idea Fave, Just keep sending so much stuff out you forget to check emails! I wonder if I’ll ever mangae to not compulsively just have one last look before closing the computer. And just one last one, even a few seconds later…. just in case!